Examining table construction



June 16, 1964 c. G. KANzELBERGE-R ETAL 3,137,493

EXAMINING TABLE CONSTRUCTION Filed March 5, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I V f mi 9.1, 23

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Claude ffwydb eye? C. G. KANZELBERGER ETAI- EXAMINING TABLE CONSTRUCTION .x llllHHllHk-J June 16, 1964 Filed March 5, 1962 June 16, 1964 c. G. KANZELBERGER ETAL 3,137,493

EXAMINING TABLE CONSTRUCTION Filed March 5, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 47 u 46 f5 l l j l k l J0 2 l '5y i f5 l i l z g i J6 INVENTORS.

Julie 16, 1964 INVENTORS.

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United States Patent O 3,137,493 EXAMINING TABLE CONSTRUCTION Claude G. Kanzelberger and Robert 0. Gauthier, Two Rivers, Wis., assignors to Hamilton Manufacturing Company, Two Rivers, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Mar. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 177,535 2 Claims. (Cl. 269-322) This invention relates generally to table constructions and, more particularly, to an improved doctors examining table.

Due to differing needs or preferences among doctors, it has been necessary for manufacturers of examining tables to oier a variety of designs. The differences in design usually relate to the type of upholstered top and the style as well as the number of auxiliary units, such as cabinets, provided with the table. To meet this demand, it has generally been necessary for manufacturers in this field to provide a different table frame construction for each table type. This, of course, adds greatly to the cost of manufacture of the tables.

Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide an improved doctors examining table.

It is another object to provide an improved frame structure for examining tables that is sturdily and economically constructed.

Still another object is to provide an improved frame structure for examining tables that will receive a variety of designs of cabinets, upholstered tops and foot rests.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying igures of the drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a side elevational view of an examining table embodying the features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view taken on the line 2 2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1; Y

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. l;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the table shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of a table provided with a foot rest;

FIG. 7 Iis a fragmentary front elevational view of the table shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a table with one type of cabinet;

IFIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 8; and

FIGS. 10 to 12 are perspective views of tables with various other types of cabinets.

Generally, an examining table embodying the invention comprises a frame structure, an upholstered top, and one or more auxiliary units. The frame structure comprises a pair of leg members positioned in spaced apart, vertical and parallel planes. The leg members are secured together at their lower portions by a horizontal brace structure and at their upper portions by a horizontal frame top. The frame structure also includes a pair of longitudinally extending side aprons and a laterally extending end apron. The frame top is adapted to support various types of upholstered tops, and one or more auxiliary units may be mounted on the horizontal brace structure between the leg members and underneath the frame top. These auxiliary units may include cabinets, foot rests, etc.

In greater detail, the table comprises a frame structure, indicated generally at 10, and an upholstered top 11, FIGS. l, 2, and 4. The frame structure 10 includes a pair of inverted generally U-shaped leg members 12 and 13 positioned in spaced apart, vertical and parallel planes. Each ice leg member has a horizontal center portion 14 and downwardly extending back and front leg portions 15 and 16, respectively. The back leg portions 15 are substantially vertical while the front leg portions 16 are inclined as shown in FIG. 1. Both leg members 12 and 13 are preferably constructed of hollow substantially square tubing having rounded corners, best shown in FIG. 5. An adjustable glider 17 is preferably secured to the lower end of each of the leg portions 15 and 16.

The leg members 12 and 13 are secured together by a brace structure 18 and a frame top 19. The brace structure 18 comprises two identical brace members 20 and a cross brace 21. The cross brace 21 is also made of tubing but in the form of a parallelogram in cross section, as shown in FIG. l, and it extends between and is secured to the front leg portions 16. Its upper and lower sides are horizontal and the two remaining sides are inclined at the same angle as the front leg portions 16 of the leg members 12 and 13 so as to be ush with front and' rear sides of the leg portions 16. Each brace member 20, which is also made of square tubing, has one end secured to approximately the center of the cross brace 21 and, as best shown in FIG. 3, the members 20 extend longitudinally of the table away from the cross brace 21 in side-byside relation. The other end of each member 20` angles outwardly in the direction of the adjacent leg portion 15 and is secured thereto. The longitudinally extending portions of the members 20 are preferably secured together.

The frame top 19 issecured to the center portions 14 of the leg members 12 and 13 by two longitudinally extending angles 22, as shown in FIG. 5. Each angle 22 has a horizontal portion 23 secured to the underside of the frame top 19 as by screws 24, and a vertical portion 25 secured to the adjacent center portion 14 as by screws 24a. The length of the vertical portions 25 is such that the upper surface of the frame top 19 is substantially level with the upper surface of each center portion 14.

The angles 22 also support two longitudinally extending side aprons 26 underneath the center portions 14 of the leg members 12 and 13. For this purpose, each angle 22 curves outwardly around the lower inside corner of the 28 extending laterally between the two leg members 12 and 13 at the back of the table. The end apron 28 may be secured to the frame top 19 by any desired means such as screws or bonding.

The upholstered top 11 shown in FIGS. l, 2 and 4 is v a conventional type and may include a wooden frame 29 covered by an upholstering material 30. The wooden frame 29 is secured to a plurality of strips 31, of a ma# terial such as wood, which in turn are secured to the frame top 19.

FIGS. 6 to 12 illustrate the table with various types of auxiliary units that may be mounted on the frame structure 10. FIGS. 6 and 7 show the table with a foot rest indicated generally at 32 and mounted directly on the cross brace 21 of the brace structure 18. The foot rest 32 comprises a step 33, two legs 34 and two hinges 35 which connect the step 33 to the cross brace 21. The legs 34 are made of square hollow tubing similar to the material used for the frame structure 10 and may be provided with gliders 36 at their lower ends. The upper ends of the legs 34 are rigidly fixed to two mounting plates 37 which in turn are secured as by scerws 38 to the underside of the step 33. When the foot rest 32 is to be placed in use, it is positioned with the glides 36 on the floor and the step 33 extending forwardly from the cross brace 21, as illustrated by the full lines in FIG.

6. The foot rest 32 may be placed in an out of the way position when not in use by turning the step 33 upwardly and inwardly to the position indicated by the dashed lines in FIG. 6, where the step 33 rests on the brace members420.

FIG. 8 illustrates a table having a diiierent type of upholstered top and auxiliary unit. The frame structure has mounted thereon a tiltable upholstered top 4) and a cabinet 41 equipped with a foot rest 42. The upholstered top 40 includes a foot end section 43 and a head end section 44, the two sections being hinged together at the point 45. The foot end section 43 is secured to the frame top 19 and the head end section 44 is pivotally fastened to aY raising rod 46. The raising rod 46 extends downwardly through a suitable opening (not shown) formed in the frame top 19 and cooperates with a catch mechanism (not shown) having a handle 47. The catch mechanism is preferably fastened to the underside of the frame top 19 and to the side aprons 26, and supports the raising rod 46 and the head end section 44 of the upholstered top 40 when tilted.

The cabinet 41 rests on the cross brace 21 and the two brace members betweenthe two leg members 12 and 13 and underneath the frame top 19. It is preferably secured to the two members 20 by a bracket 48 in the form of a U-shaped strap, FIG. 9, having outturned ends 49. The bracket 48 is positioned around the underside of the members 20 and screws 50 extend through holes formed in the ends 49 and are threaded into the bottom 51 of the cabinet 41.

The cabinet 41 further includes three sides 52 in addition to the bottom 51, and a front sill 53. The foot rest 42 includes -a step 54 hingedly mounted on the still 53 and two legs 55 fastened to the underside of the step 54. The foot `rest 42 may be positioned with the legs 5S resting on the oor and the step 54 extending forwardly from the sill 53 and available for use, as shown in FIG. 8, or the foot rest 42 may 4be folded into the cabinet 42 when not in use. The cabinet illustrated in FIG. 8 is further equipped with a drawer or treatment pan 56, and a stirrup assembly 57.

FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 show tables similar to that shown in FIG. 8 but illustrating other types of auxiliary units that may be mounted on the frame structure. In FIG. l0 the frame structure 10 has mounted thereon a cabinet 58 having a plurality of drawers 59 in addition Vto the treatment pan 56 and the stirrup assembly 57. The cabinet 58 is also secured -to the brace members 20 by a bracket (-not shown) similar to the bracket 48 of FIG. 9. In FIG. l1, a second cabinet 60 having drawers 61 is also mounted on the brace members 20, the drawers 61 opening from the side of the table. In FIG. l2, a third cabinet 62 having a hingedV door 63 and a plurality Vof shelves (not shown) is also mounted on the brace members 20 between the 'back leg portions 15. The two cabinets 60 and 62 may also be fastened to the brace members 20 by brackets similar to the bracket 48 of FIG. 9 and, in addition, may be fastened to the inside of the two side aprons 26 by suitable angle irons (not shown).

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that a novel and useful doctors examining table has been provided. The frame structurev is sturdy and yet economically manufactured. A further important advantage is that a variety of types of tables may be provided all utilizing the same frame structure. This is important because the standardization decreases the cost of manufacture of the table, and a doctor may purchase the frame structure with his choice of upholstered top and auxiliary unit.

We claim:

1. An examining table comprising a pair of inverted generally U-shaped leg members positioned in spaced apart vertical and parallel planes and each comprising a generally horizontal center portion and a pair of leg portions extending downwardly from the ends of said center portion, a longitudinally extending side apron positioned between the leg portions and secured to the center portion of each of said leg members, a substantially -horizontal frame top extending between and secured to said center portions of said leg members, a bracing structure connecting said leg portions at each end of said table and having a portion extending lengthwise of the table midway between said leg memebrs, and a plurality of cabinets positioned on said bracing structure and-secured thereto between said leg members and underneath said frame top, said bracing structure comprising a laterally extending cross brace secured to said leg portions at one end of the table, and a pair of brace members each having one end secured to `substantially the centerv of said cross brace, a portion extending lengthwise of the table substantially midway between said leg members, said lengthwise extending portions being in side-by-side relation, and a portion extending lengthwise and laterally of the table and secured to said leg portions at the other end of said table 2. A table as in claim l, wherein each of said cabinets is positioned on said bracing structure and secured thereto by a U-shaped bracket secured to the underside of said cabinet and positioned around the underside of 4said lengthwise extending portions of said brace members.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. AN EXAMINING TABLE COMPRISING A PAIR OF INVERTED GENERALLY U-SHAPED LEG MEMBERS POSITIONED IN SPACED APART VERTICAL AND PARALLEL PLANES AND EACH COMPRISING A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL CENTER PORTION AND A PAIR OF LEG PORTIONS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE ENDS OF SAID CENTER PORTION, A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SIDE APRON POSITIONED BETWEEN THE LEG PORTIONS AND SECURED TO THE CENTER PORTION OF EACH OF SAID LEG MEMBERS, A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL FRAME TOP EXTENDING BETWEEN AND SECURED TO SAID CENTER PORTIONS OF SAID LEG MEMBERS, A BRACING STRUCTURE CONNECTING SAID LEG PORTIONS AT EACH END OF SAID TABLE AND HAVING A PORTION EXTENDING LENGTHWISE OF THE TABLE MIDWAY BETWEEN SAID LEG MEMBERS, AND A PLURALITY OF CABINETS POSITIONED ON SAID BRACING STRUCTURE AND SECURED THERETO BETWEEN SAID LEG MEMBERS AND UNDERNEATH SAID FRAME TOP, SAID BRACING STRUCTURE COMPRISING A LATERALLY EXTENDING CROSS BRACE SECURED TO SAID LEG PORTIONS AT ONE END OF THE TABLE, AND A PAIR OF BRACE MEMBERS EACH HAVING ONE END SECURED TO SUBSTANTIALLY THE CENTER OF SAID CROSS BRACE, A PORTION EXTENDING LENGTHWISE OF THE TABLE SUBSTANTIALLY MIDWAY BETWEEN SAID LEG MEMBERS, SAID LENGTHWISE EXTENDING PORTIONS BEING IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION, AND A PORTION EXTENDING LENGTHWISE AND LATERALLY OF THE TABLE AND SECURED TO SAID LEG PORTIONS AT THE OTHER END OF SAID TABLE. 